Images from the Id – The County Fair

County Fairs are one of the best places to photograph. Where else can you get fireworks (Hum, done that), lots of interesting people, activities and the carnival rides.

So let’s go:

Equipment for the trip

Adjustable camera – DSLR is the best just make sure you know how to adjust the exposure settings. You will be shooting in a great number of different lighting conditions and for different effects.

Lens/Lenses –  I like my 18 mm to 200 mm for this. Vibration reduction/image stabilization  can be very helpful. A longer telephoto will be useful for some of the activities (see Mutton Busting below).

Tripod – Hopefully you will have one that is easy to carry or park near the venue so you can go back to the car to get the tripod when you need it in the later afternoon and evening. One year I forgot to put the tripod mount on the camera and actually got some decent handheld fireworks shots.

That is all you need for a great variety of shots.

The Shoot –

I entered the Fair at 2 pm.  I had previously purchased tickets online to save about $4 per ticket. I had also checked the fair’s schedule to find which activities I wanted to photograph. This year, I had some very good choices. Fairs are amazing- you might see rodeos, tractor pulls, demolition derbies, along with the regular fair exhibits, animals, carnival rides and fireworks. I decided on a trained jumping dog act and the Mutton Busters where young kids ride sheep. No need to use a tripod for those. Later in the afternoon and as the light gets darker, I went for the carnival for people shots and the rides and, at last, the fireworks without the city light pollution. As the light goes down the tripod came out. This is a very full day.  Our first stop was the barns and I got a fun shot of a goat eating its Blue Ribbon. Other good opportunities would include interaction of kids and animals. I always like the hugs and kisses. Watch the exposure. The barns can be surprisingly dark.

Next to the jumping dogs. These shots are an exercise in motion. Try stopping the jumps at high points or inverted with fast shutter speed. More challenging is to use slower shutter speed to show motion with panning or blurring.

The Mutton Busters are really fun. Nothing like cute little boys and girls trying to ride sheep. Everything you can imagine can happen. Get down low. Watch your exposure because the depth of field can be tricky. You want the whole sheep and rider in focus. I use my 80 mm – 400 mm Telephoto for this. Plan on taking a lot of shots and try to get some of when the ride and mount separate.

Next week more at the fair.

I’m sorry I like pigs, “Oink” 1/90 sec, ISO 400, -! EV, f/5.6, 80 mm/120 mm equivalent.

From the Mutton Busters fun. “Ohhhhh!” A similar shot won first place the Fair’s Photography Competition  two years ago. 1/1000 sec, 0 EV, f/6.3, ISO 200, 130 mm/195 mm  equivalent